Why The Seattle Seahawks Will Beat The Philadelphia Eagles....And Why The Philadelphia Eagles Will Beat The Seattle Seahawks

As incredible as it may seem, tomorrow night will be the first time since I started blogging* that my Philadelphia Eagles will play my internet friend Mookie's Seattle Seahawks.  Earlier this week, Mookie reached out to me via email to ask if I wanted to join him in doing a series of posts, with me saying some words on why the Seahawks will beat the Eagles, and him writing a few words on why the Eagles will beat the Seahawks.  The results of that are as follows.

*I started blogging after what is still the latest tie in the NFL.  The Eagles last played the Seahawks a few weeks prior to that infamous game.  I have no visual recollection of that Eagles win at Seattle in 2008.  No amount of hard alcohol has been able to wash away the memories of the two Seahawks-Eagles games prior to that one.


Why the Seahawks will beat the Eagles, by Justin F.

The Eagles Defensive Coordinator is their old offensive line coach:  The Eagles Defensive coordinator is their offensive line coach.  It as worked out about as well as most imagined.  It's imbarrassing.  As much as I (and the Eagles players themselves) did not like Sean McDermott, the Eagles defense put up a respectable -11.0% DVOA last season.  This season, the Eagles defensive DVOA (DVOA explained) is a sub-par 2.8% (in case you do not know or have not yet figured out, in terms of defense, a negative DVOA is better than a positive DVOA).  That's right.  The Eagles defense has actually regressed from last season.

NFL Week 13 Schedule

Mookie and I have a surprise for you that should be up Wednesday night or Thursday morning, but until then, have fun and enjoy the Week 13 schedule.

Thursday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks  8:20 (NFL Network - Brad Nessler  and Mike Mayock, SR: Alex Flanagan)

Map of who gets what Sunday afternoon games

CBS games

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers  1:00 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
Oakland Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins  1:00 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
New York Jets vs. Washington Redskins  1:00 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)
Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots  1:00 (CBS - Marv Albert and Rich Gannon)
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears  1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots)
Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills  1:00 (CBS - Spero Dedes and Steve Beuerlein)

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns  4:05 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker)

Fox early games

Atlanta Falcons vs. Houston Texans  1:00 (Fox - Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, SA: Tony Siragusa)
Denver Broncos vs. Minnesota Vikings  1:00 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, SR: Laura Okmin)
Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  1:00 (Fox - Ron Pitts  and Jim Mora, Jr.)

America's Game Of The Week and Fox late games

Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants  4:15 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver)
Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals  4:15 (Fox - Dick Stockton and John Lynch)
St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers  4:15 (Fox - Chris Myers and Tim Ryan)

Sunday Night Football

Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints  8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, SR: Michele Tafoya)

Monday Night Football

San Diego Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars  8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden, SR: Suzy Kolber)

ESPN: The World Wide Leader In Hypocrisy

Hey, remember when a bunch of ESPN talking heads, including Michelle Beadle, Kirk Herbstreit, Jay Bilas, and Colin Cowherd went on a moral crusade against Joe Paterno for not doing more upon learning that Mike McQueary witnessed Jerry Sandusky in the shower behaving beyond inappropriately with a boy in the shower?  Good times, wasn't it?  Now, in a cruel twist of irony, the shoe is on the other foot, and then some.  While we do not know what Jim Boeheim did or did not know in terms of the Bernie Fine allegations at Syracuse, but we do know who did know of these allegations back in 2003.  That's right.  The Worldwide Leader, themselves.  ESPN knew.

ESPN did nothing.

What am I talking about, exactly?  It goes back to the Syracuse allegations against Bernie Fine.  Released today on Outside The Lines, a recorded telephone conversation former Syracuse ball boy Bobby Davis had with Bernie Fine's wife, Laurie in regards to Bernie Fine's behavior.  Due to the disturbing nature of this conversation, I will not post any quotes here, but if you want to read it so you have, click here to read excerpts of the conversation between Davis and Laurie Fine.

One slightly major issue.  The conversation in that transcript took place in 2002.  ESPN obtained a copy of the audiotape of that conversation in 2003.  Sporting News summarizes what ESPN did with the conversations (bold emphasis mine).

Davis, now 39, shared the tape with Syracuse police after Outside the Lines reported that allegations Nov. 17. He had given ESPN the tape of the recorded conversation in 2003, but ESPN did not report that accusations because it didn’t have enough information to back up Davis’ allegations.

 At least Joe Paterno went to the AD and the head of police, even though all he had to off of was hearsay.  ESPN had tapes from Bernie Fine's wife essentially implicating him in child molestation.  ESPN sat on these tapes.  They claim there was not enough evidence to go public, but they did not turn over the conversation to authorities for further investigation.  Is this beginning to sound familiar to anyone?

Now this is likely something that Michelle Beadle, Kirk Herbstreit, and other ESPN talking heads knew nothing about, but, it is worth pointing out that they are not directing anger at their own company.  Shocking.  Beadle has turned from mud-flinging at Paterno to "Monsters are everywhere," and "Focus on cleaning up" abuse at universities.  Amazing.  I know.

But instead of continuing on my moral high horse on the hypocrisy of some at ESPN, I'll just ask one question.

Is this too a conspiracy of cowards?

NFL Week 12 Live Blog

The only question I have is how bad is New English going to demolish a suddenly injury plagued Eagles team?

NFL Week 12 Schedule

Thanksgiving week!  This year the games are.......actually quite good.  This is certainly one of the better Thanksgiving slates of games I can remember in quite awhile, namely because the Lions are not the laughing stock of the NFL.  But still, instead of the hapless Colts, they have been given the unbeaten Packers.  Eagles host the Patriots in a game where I reckon the first team to 50 will win. (all times ET; games I get are in bold)

Thanksgiving games

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions  12:30 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver)
Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys  4:15 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens  8:20 (NFL Network - Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock, SR: Alex Flanagan)

Maps of who gets what Sunday afternoon games

Fox games

Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons  1:00 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, SR: Laura Okmin)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans  1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton and John Lynch)
Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts  1:00 (Fox - Chris Myers and Tim Ryan)
Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Cardinals  1:00 (Fox - Sam Rosen and Chad Pennington)

Chicago Bears vs. Oakland Raiders  4:05 (Fox - Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, SA: Tony Siragusa)
Washington Redskins vs. Seattle Seahawks  4:05 (Fox - Ron Pitts and Jim Mora, Jr.)

CBS early games

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets  1:00 (CBS - Marv Albert and Rich Gannon)
Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars  1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots)
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals  1:00 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker)

America's Game Of The Week and other CBS late games

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles  4:15 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers  4:15 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)

Sunday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs  8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, SR: Michele Tafoya)

Monday Night Football

New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints  8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden, SR: Wendi Nix)

NFL Week 11/MLS Cup Final Live Blog

I'm watching the Eagles game tonight.  Against the Giants.  With Vince Young starting for the Eagles.  Yes, I am a masochist.

Fire Andy Reid? (A Link To) A Debate With Brian Solomon

After posting my rebuttal to Phil Sheridan on Sunday night, Philadelphia Eagles blogger Brian Solomon sent me an email asking to debate him on whether or not Andy Reid should be fired.  Having a great respect for Brian's wanting a chance to engage him in a fun debate, I accepted.  You can read the debate for yourself at his site, McNabb Or Kolb.

The debate was his idea and for his blog, so I will not takeaway his pageviews by doing a straight re-post, but if you want to read the debate, you can CLICK HERE AND READ IT.

I thank Brian very much for this opportunity and hope all you will read his blog and follow him on Twitter.

Hypocrisy By Brooks

Sometimes I feel like it is best to take a deep breath and just ignore Sports By Brooks.  After all, he is nothing more than a sleazy sports gossip writer with about as much dignity as the people that feel the need to follow Lady Gaga everywhere she goes, including stalking the drainage system she empties her bodily waste in to examine her poop to see if the feces reveal anything about a sex scandal.  And then sometimes it is best to stoop to that very level of depravity yourself just because, well, actually it is not for the best it is fun for me to expose how much of a hypocrite someone is.

I am not going to link any tweets, but if you take a look at Sports by Brooks's timeline you will see the sports gossip columnist has ceased to be a sports gossip columnist and has turned into a full time Penn State gossip columnist since the Penn State flattery.  In this timeline, you will see a bunch of tweets about rumors, speculation that Jerry Sandusky will be acquitted by a jury of his peers in Centre County (?), and several tweets perched atop his moral high horse as he uses mental gymnastics of the amazing kind to equate a vote in support of Joe Paterno and Joe Paterno's legacy as a vote in support of child molestation and this tweet of what can only be described as pure insanity.  Even if Sandusky does shockingly get acquitted, to suggest something of the nature this early on in the process is nothing short of insanity.

Here is the graphic, 23-page, grand jury report.  This is what is known, both in terms of what Sandusky did and what McQueary and Paterno knew and did.  You can try make heads or tails of comments and actions from the early 2000s to try and infer more about what was known and who knew it, but I won't get into that.  If you choose to believe the interview Sandusky gave last night and the interview Mike McQueary is giving tonight then we know that too.  But outside of that, everything else is opinion disguised as fact, or moral high horse rantings disguised as opinion.  Rumors/reports from a gossip columnist are unfounded at best and trolling for followers/pageviews at worst.

But, SbB is indeed that.  I said as much above, and I think Brooks might even say as much.  It is his job to do this.  But I am writing a post because there is a catch.  The point of this post is not to chide someone for having an opinion.  You do not need me to tell you that this Penn State scandal has elicited some violent opinions.  Brooks is not the first person to espouse such opinions on this issue and he damn sure will not be the last.  But what makes Brooks a special case is that everytime he tweets something from his moral high horse on the Penn State scandal, he is setting in a glass house, trying to throw stones.  Now as far as we know, Brooks does not have a history of pedophilia, but I can confirm he has a perverted history of ephebophilia.  Behold, the hypocrisy of Sports by Brooks!

Yes.  You saw that link correctly.  That is Brooks.  Unabashedly ogling at a 17-year old's breasts.

The patron saint of Morality, everyone!

(h/t @AvalonBryan and the essential @zoowithroy)

NFL Week 11 Schedule

I am working on something big that will hopefully appear later this week, but until then, here is your Week 11 schedule.  Yes, I actually remembered to post this on Tuesday for once.  I am as impressed as you are. (all times ET; games I get are in bold)

Thursday Night Football

New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos  8:20 (NFL Network - Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock, SR: Alex Flanagan)

Map of who gets what Sunday afternoon games

Fox games

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Packers  1:00 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver)
Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins  1:00 (Fox - Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, SA: Tony Siragusa)
Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions  1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton and John Lynch)

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers  4:05 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, SR: Laura Okmin)
Seattle Seahawks vs. St. Louis Rams  4:05 (Fox - Chris Myers and Tim Ryan)

CBS early games

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens  1:00 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins  1:00 (CBS - Marv Albert and Rich Gannon)
Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings  1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harland and Solomon Wilcots)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cleveland Browns  1:00 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker)

America's Game Of The Week and other CBS late games

San Diego Chargers vs. Chicago Bears  4:15 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
Tennessee Titans vs. Atlanta Falcons  4:15 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)

Sunday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants  8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, SR: Michele Tafoya)

Monday Night Football

Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots  8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden, SR: Suzy Kolber)

Phil Sheridan's Latest Column Is Slightly Mis-Informed

There are some people that absolutely despite Phil Sheridan.  Personally, I think there are worse columnists in the Philadelphia sports media than him (*cough*cough*Jack McCaffery *cough*cough*), but the column he wrote after the Eagles loss to the Cardinals is by far and away one of the most ridiculous pieces of writing I have ever written.  Not that I am intentionally getting away from directly talking about the Eagles, okay, never mind, I am, I am intentionally getting away from directly talking about the Eagles second real all-round poor performance of the season, but as poor as the Eagles were today, this column from Phil Sheridan is worse.  After the jump, a FJM style breakdown (Sheridan's words in italics).

NFL Week 10 Live Blog

Week 10 already?  Wow.  Season flies when your team struggles.  Or something.

NFL Week 10 Schedule

So I guess I should have gotten this up before Thursday Night Football started, eh? (games I get are in bold; all times ET)

Thursday Night Football

Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers  8:20 (NFL Network - Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock, SR: Alex Flanagan)

Map of who gets what Sunday afternoon games

CBS games

Buffalo Bills vs. Dallas Cowboys  1:00 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals  1:00 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)
Houston Texans vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  1:00 (CBS  - Marv Albert and Rich Gannon)
Tennessee Titans vs. Carolina Panthers  1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots)
Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs  1:00 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts  1:00 (CBS - Spero Dedes and Steve Beuerlein)

Baltimore Ravens vs. Seattle Seahawks  4:05 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)

Fox early games

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons  1:00 (Fox - Kenny Albert and Darly Johnston, SA: Tony Siragusa)
Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles  1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton and John Lynch)
Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins  1:00 (Fox - Chris Myers and Tim Ryan)
St. Louis Rams vs. Cleveland Browns  1:00 (Fox - Ron Pitts and Jim Mora, Jr.)

America's Game Of The Week and Fox late games

New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers  4:15 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver)
Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears  4:15 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, SA: Laura Okmin)

Sunday Night Football

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets  8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, SR: Michele Tafoya)

Monday Night Football

Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers  8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden, SR: Suzy Kolber)

The Flyers' Way To Combat Tampa's 1-3-1: Troll The High Hell Out Of It

It sucked that the Flyers ultimately lost to the Lightning in overtime today, but this from the Flyers today should forever be remembered as one of the greatest troll jobs in hockey history.  Behold, the Flyers attack of a 1-3-1  where the forward remains in the neutral zone!



Awesome. Amazing. Orgasmic. Hilarious. All adequate words to describe an effective trolling job. And yes, the Flyers do use the 1-3-1 at times, but at least when they use this rather less palatable defensive strategy, they at least have their forward employ some semblance of a forecheck. Brilliantly done by the Flyers. Brilliantly done. Such a shame they lost in overtime. This troll job needed to be complete with a Flyers win at the end. Oh well. Sometimes the trolling alone is enough of a win for one game. Epic.

Listen To My Appearance On The Brotherly Game Podcast

If listening to me talk soccer with The Brotherly Game's founder and current managing editor is not enough to get you excited, listen for the first five minutes, where I break the news of Joe Paterno's firing to Kyle, Scott, and our listeners by reading the tweet of a Philadelphia Flyers beat writer for a southern New Jersey newspaper.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE RECORDED VERSION OF THE BROTHERLY GAME'S 2011 PHILADELPHIA UNION SEASON RECAP!

My Quick Thoughts On The Current State Of Affairs Of The Eagles

The 2011 Eagles are like the Phillies in that every team that has beaten them has been equitable to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2011 Playoffs.

Much like in other sports, there is no known or quantifiable “clutch” skill in winning “close” football games, with close in this instance being defined as games where the final point separation is 7 points or less. In general, any given team can be expected to win about half of these games. The Eagles have had 4 games this season where the final point separation has been 7 points or less. They are 1-4 in those games. On the other side of the coin, the Giants are 4-0 in those games.

The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles are a good football team that have been unbelievably unlucky. Vegas still loves the Eagles.  The Eagles are tied for last in the NFC East despite having the best point differential in that division.

Vegas still loves the Eagles.  They were 9-point favorites last night and the line for next week's game against Arizona opened with the Eagles as 14-point favorites.

There is hope for the Eagles. They have an easy schedule ahead, the Giants have a brutal schedule ahead. The Eagles meet the Giants one more time. The bad news is the Cowboys also have an easy schedule. And the Cowboys carry a 2-3 record in games where the point differential is 7-points or less.  The good news is the Eagles also face the Cowboys one more time.

Is there enough time for the luck to even itself out and the Eagles to win the NFC East? I think it is doubtful at this point just because of what little time there is left and the leaps the Eagles will have to make both in the standings and in terms of luck, but the Eagles true talent level is not that of a 3-5 team, rather more likely a 4-4 team or a 5-3 team, which given the overall weakness of the NFC East this year, is just frustrating.

One last point before I go back to preparing preparing psychology presentations, creating Revolutionary War lessons, and reading colonial newspapers.  Fire Reid?  Absolutely, definitely not.  Fire Juan Castillo?  Let's wait to the end of the year to have this discussion.

Week 9 Monday Night Football Live Blog

A Brief Word On The Penn State Scandal

If you want to read the most horrifying thing you could ever hope to read, read the Penn State Grand Jury Report.  If you can make it past Victim 1 and Victim 2, you have a stronger stomach than I.  Actually, I could not even make it past Victim 1, I just willed myself through it to read the necessary details of Victim 2, which is what the big controversy is about.

Based off what has been alleged, we can safely say three people broke Pennsylvania law:  Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley, and Gary Schultz.  Everyone else that we know of followed Pennsylvania Law in this matter.

Now whether or not certain people not in violation of any law should have damned the law and done more to protect young kids from a monster who had way too much access is a moral argument I will not get into. I'm not saying said persons should have done more, I am not saying said persons should not have done more, just I am not going to make an argument around it.  And honestly, I'm not even sure I know where I stand on it.  All I know is people are making the story about said persons, and not about Sandusky, the eight victims, and Curley and Schultz, both of whom knowingly skirted the law and did not do as they should have.  And that really should not be the case.

MLS Cup Final Schedule

It may have been announced in May, but the Los Angeles Galaxy are hosting the 2011 MLS Cup Final this year.  Don Garber announced Home Depot Center in Carson, California then, and lo and behold, the Los Angeles Galaxy are in playing in the MLS Cup Final.  Their opponents, Houston Dynamo who likely will be without league MVP candidate Brad Davis.  Let's see, Supporters' Shield winner playing at home against an Eastern Conference team likely without its best player?  This will make lots of MLS fans grumpy.  Here is the schedule (if you can call it that) for the game. (home team listed last; all times ET)

MLS Cup Final

November 20:  Houston Dynamo vs. Los Angeles Galaxy  9:00 (ESPN - Ian Darke and John Harkes, SR: Rob Stone)

NFL Week 9/MLS Conference Finals Live Blog

Man, what is it with all the crappy early games as of late?  I mean, I guess Jets-Bills is sort of okay, but 49ers-Redskins?  That the Redskins are so bad that I am getting Seahawks-Cowboys with Chris Myers?  Ugh.  Well, on the likely more exciting side of things, MLS Conference Finals are tonight.

Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City 5:30 (FSC - JP Dellacamera and Brian Dunseth, SR: Allen Hopkins)

Real Salt Lake vs. Los Angeles Galaxy 9:00 (ESPN - Ian Darke and John Harkes, SR: Rob Stone)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO LIVE BLOG!

2011 MLS Cup Conference Finals Schedule

After a round of aggregate scoring, the Conference Finals will be like the wild card, one game, better side hosts, winner advances, loser goes home.  In the event of a tie after 90 minutes, there will be 30 minutes extra time.  If still tied after extra time, it will come down to a penalty shootout. (home team listed last; all times ET)

Eastern Conference Final

November 6:  Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City  5:30 (FSC - JP Dellacamera and Brian Dunseth, SR: Mark Rogondino)

Western Conference Final

November 6:  Real Salt Lake vs. Los Angeles Galaxy  9:00 (ESPN - Ian Darke and John Harkes, SR: Rob Stone)

MLS Cup Conference Semifinals Leg 2 Day 2 Live Blog

Leg 2: Philadelphia Union vs. Houston Dynamo 8:30 (ESPN2 - Adrian Healey and Taylor Twellman)

Leg 2: New York Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy 11:00 (ESPN2 - Ian Darke and John Harkes, SR: Rob Stone) (TSN2)

An Incoherent Rambling From A Tired Philadelphia Sports Fan

(Re-posted here from The Brotherly Game.)

It is 1 AM, I am tired, but I can't sleep.  The Philadelphia Union kick off their potentially last game of the season in 19 and a half hours.  This is a post that I probably should not be writing, however, I am a college student who has been swamped with work and I am desperate for something, anything to take my mind off that.  This probably won't make much sense to you, but I feel like I need to express it.  The quality of soccer of actual soccer content in this post will be little to non-existent.  After the past few days I've had and the next couple of days I figure to have, I probably could not sufficiently analyze an upcoming soccer match even if I had to.

As a Philadelphia sports fan, the past year has been a particularly painful one.  Well, maybe painful may not be the right word.  After all, there are several sports cities in the United States that may envy the success Philadelphia has seen this year.  Every major Philadelphia sports team has gotten into the playoffs this year.  The only post-season experience Cleveland fans had this year was watching LeBron James falter in the NBA Finals.*

*Some Cleveland fans may point to the Lake Erie Monsters and say I am wrong.  Most will read "Lake Erie Monsters" and have absolutely no idea who I am referencing.  Also, after much research, they were the ONLY professional sports team remotely associated with Cleveland to qualify for anything resembling a post-season in 2011.  As a final post-script on a team you likely have never heard of before and quite as likely barely hear of again, the Lake Erie Monsters' post-season came to an end in the first round.  All things considered, they were probably showered with a parade anyway.


I sincerely apologize if this comes of wanting the cake and wanting to eat it too.*  Maybe asking for this is wanting too much.  After all, the Philadelphia Eagles had a miraculous 2010 season, capped off with a game that to this day still has its own Wikipedia page.  The Philadelphia Flyers were the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference.  The Philadelphia 76ers made the playoffs after an abysmal 2009-2010.  The Philadelphia Phillies were a 102-win team and the undisputed best team in baseball.

*I told you this post would be incoherent.


But looking ahead to the end of 2011 and the current MLS Cup Playoffs, the last professional sports post-season of the calendar year, I still feel unfulfilled.  The Eagles lost in the wild card round to the Green Bay Packers.  The Philadelphia Flyers lost in the 2nd round to the Boston Bruins and then blew the team up.  The Philadelphia 76ers lost in the first round.  The Philadelphia Phillies lost in the 1st round.  Agonizing loss, after agonizing loss, after agonizing loss, after agonizing loss.

A lot of luck is involved in the playoffs.  After all, the Phillies lost Game 5 of the NLDS by five feet.  But deserved or not, just once this year, I want something to go Philadelphia's way in the playoffs.  I want to end a great year on a great note, to be able to say at the very least the 2-year old Philadelphia Union advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.  I do not care if it ends up being deserved or not, I just want a win.  Whether or not the Union play the best possible game is irrelevant if the Union win.  Whether or not Peter Nowak manages the best possible game is irrelevant if the Union win.  I have the utmost confidence the Union will do the best they can do.  I have the utmost doubts Nowak will do the best he can do.  I submit the first half of Leg 1 as evidence of these doubts.

Take a look at the MLS standings.  The Philadelphia Union belong here.  We are in the playoffs and we deserve that.  This team is good enough.  But many other Philadelphia teams said the same thing.  They did not win.  For 2011, the Philadelphia Union represent the Philadelphia's last chance.  It may end tomorrow.  If so, everyone and myself included will say how great a year the Union had and how they are set up well for the future.  They will be right, of course.  But that does not mean I don't want this anyway.  Feelings of desperation crawl inside me saying "please, Union, please, give me something to celebrate in the playoffs in 2011."  Those on the outside will likely see this as spoiled.  They may be right, but something inside me just wants it badly.  Maybe because the Phillies loss is not even a month old.  Maybe it is because I want something to put that memory aside, if only for a brief while.  Maybe because I do not want to endure that pain I had to go through less than a month ago.

The Philadelphia Union need a win tonight.  A win by 1, and they force extra time.  A win by two or more, and they are going to Kansas City.

I'm here, I'm now, I'm ready. Holding on tight, don't give away the end. The one thing that stays mine.

NFL Week 9 Schedule

Sorry I could not get this up earlier. This week has been hell.  It will get worse before it gets better.

Map of who gets what Sunday afternoon games.

CBS games

New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills  1:00 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans  1:00 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)
Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs  1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harland and Solomon Wilcots)

Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders  4:05 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans  4:05 (CBS - Marv Albert and Rich Gannon)

Fox early games

San Francisco 49ers vs. Washington Redskins  1:00 (Fox - Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, SA: Tony Siragusa)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints  1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton and John Lynch)
Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys  1:00 (Fox - Chris Myers and Tim Ryan)
Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts  1:00 (Fox - Ron Pitts and Jim Mora, Jr.)

America's Game Of The Week and Fox late games

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots  4:15 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver)
Green Bay Packers vs. San Diego Chargers  4:15 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, SR: Laura Okmin)
St. Louis Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals  4:15 (Fox - Sam Rosen and Chad Pennington)

Sunday Night Football

Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers  8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, SR: Michele Tafoya)

Monday Night Football

Chicago Bears vs. Philadelphia Eagles  8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden, SR: Suzy Kolber)

MLS Conference Semifinals Leg 2 Day 1 Live Blog

Leg 2: Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting Kansas City 8:00 (FSC - JP Dellacamera and Brian Dunseth)

Leg 2: Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders 10:00 (ESPN2 - Adrian Healey and John Harkes) (TSN2)